Safe to remove (they come back from the Store)
- News, Weather, Solitaire, Clipchamp, Get Help / Tips, Maps, People, Feedback Hub…
- Trial games and partner apps pinned to the Start menu.
- Copilot, Recall and the other AI features — switch them off if you don't use them.
Keep these
- Microsoft Store and App Installer: you need them to reinstall anything (and for winget).
- Xbox app, Gaming Services, Xbox Identity if you play Game Pass or Microsoft Store games (Forza, Halo, Minecraft…).
- Edge WebView2 Runtime: many apps draw their window with it, launchers included.
- Your GPU, audio and chipset software.
Startup programs
Task Manager › Startup apps: disable what you don't need right after boot (updaters, chat apps you open by hand, RGB tools you don't use). Don't disable your audio or GPU control panel entries if you rely on them.
Avoid
- Scripts that remove “everything” at once, including the Store and system components — they can break Windows Update and future features.
- Deleting system folders by hand.
How HKTweaks helps
The HKTweaks Debloat page only offers apps from a vetted list, with a warning where a game needs it (Xbox, Game Pass), shows their real icons, and every app can come back from the Store. Startup apps are listed with their icons too, and Copilot / Recall are normal tweaks you can undo.
Still stuck? A real staff member answers in a ticket on our Discord.